The Screenwriter Discusses the Numerous Unexpected Turns of the Latest Sci-Fi Movie

Bugonia screenwriter Will Tracy barely recalls what transpires in the original Korean movie. This is somewhat unexpected, considering he penned the script for Yorgos Lanthimos’s new adaptation of the 2003 Korean dark sci-fi comedy. Rather than studying the source material for inspiration, the writer behind his previous work viewed the movie once, took a few notes, and began writing.

“I watched Save the Green Planet the one time,” Tracy says. “My memory was foggy on the film in great detail. My aim wasn't to feel as though I had to be slavishly following or recreating or paying tribute to another filmmaker's work. The most respectful approach to both films was to have them be judged separately.”

While the premise of a emotionally troubled man (Jesse Plemons in Bugonia) who kidnaps a business leader he’s certain is an alien in disguise is largely the same in both films, the differences are considerable. Firstly, the writer rewrote the executive character, played by a man in the director's first version, as a female character. (Lanthimos cast his frequent collaborator the actress in the part.) The endings differ slightly too, in the way they tackle their shared core mystery: Is the character an extraterrestrial or not really?

The screenwriter feels that answer is somewhat not the main focus.

“I wasn't really concerned with the surprise element,” he says. “My intention wasn't for the movie to just be a gadget that does one surprise, and then after the reveal, it's like: OK, well, what else does this toy do?”

However, he has plenty to discuss on the subject. Our discussion with the writer touched on Bugonia’s finale and its implications, along with the ways he and Lanthimos collaborated to bring those twists to life.

Warning: Full spoilers follow for the ending of the movie.

Therefore, is Emma Stone an alien or not an alien?

Short answer: Absolutely.

Similar to in the original film, the conclusion of this version reveals that the CEO, a pharmaceutical executive named her character, is in fact alien royalty in disguise. Once she manipulates her captor the unstable man (the actor) into ending his own life using her teleportation technology, she beams back up to her alien vessel.

The fact that this comes as a surprise is a testament to Stone’s acting skills. During the 118-minute movie, she keeps audiences guessing through a complex portrayal that may require several rewatches to fully understand.

“Emma frequently discussed how it was the initial instance she had to give a performance where she felt she had to be conscious of people watching the movie a second time. How those rewatching are going to think,” the writer explains. "She was aware the upon a repeat viewing a person watches this movie, They are aware I am conscious of… understand?”

He pauses, before adding, “Thus, her performance needed to reflect this awareness in her performance.”

Creating the Andromedons and their spaceship

After Stone’s character finally does reveal her true nature, we get a quick look of her spaceship and other extraterrestrials before Bugonia ends. Their ship has a unique design, which Tracy shares was intended to look like a marine animal while avoiding high-tech visuals.

“[The director] was really interested in almost like a jellyfish-inspired shape for the vessel, something very natural,” he comments.

The goal was for them to seem strangely somewhat primitive or primitive.

The Andromedons’ clothing is just as interesting as their vessel: bulbous dress-like garments made from thick, woven cords. Again, the goal was to go against sci-fi movie tradition.

“For the costumes, instead of being futuristic, they [were meant to|aimed to] appear strangely kind of primitive or basic, and yet also quite ornate and sophisticated, because it's a very detailed and elegant creation on those unusual woven outfits,” Tracy states. He adds that Lanthimos “viewed it as being a extremely old society. He wasn't into the idea of anything being sleek and silver, or a hyper-futuristic look.”

The conclusion of the Earth (or just humanity)

Maybe the biggest difference between the new film and the original is that in the original Korean movie, the aliens react to their leader's kidnapping and mistreatment by blowing up the world. This adaptation takes a somewhat more nuanced approach, with its beings opting to snuff out all mankind, while keeping the Earth and its other inhabitants unharmed.

“What I wanted to do in the screenplay was a vision of Earth post-human existence,” the writer explains.

In the film's conclusion, we see a series of shots of life across the globe. Every person are deceased where they were standing just before, but the Earth continues. How viewers, are supposed to interpret all this is open to discussion. Is the ending of the film optimistic or pessimistic? Is humanity fated to perish or worth saving? Would the world be better off in our absence?

The screenwriter isn’t willing to offer a clear resolution in any direction.

“Certain viewers find it to be a extremely dark conclusion, or a sad ending, a hopeless ending,” he states. “Different audiences view it as being a strangely optimistic or happy conclusion. In my opinion there are various interpretations to understand it.”

Bugonia is in limited theatrical release now, with a wide release on Halloween.